


What's Normal is What's Common

by headfirstfrhalos



Series: Sidewalk Sleepers [5]
Category: Twenty One Pilots
Genre: Aromantic Character, Asexual Character, Everything in sidewalk sleepers csn be seen as ace but this is the only one that talks about it, First Kiss, Fluff, Gen, M/M, Platonic Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-30
Updated: 2015-07-30
Packaged: 2018-04-12 01:29:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,030
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4460066
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/headfirstfrhalos/pseuds/headfirstfrhalos
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>'Normal' is a relative term.</p>
            </blockquote>





	What's Normal is What's Common

**Author's Note:**

> Doesn't really focus on sleeping but it's a sleepy fic
> 
> Im aro/ace and the best way i can describe my affections for others is a combination of when you see a cute baby animal, listen to a really good song for the first time, and see something really cool in nature.

There were a lot of things about them that Tyler never questioned. Why they clung to each other like a last breath of air, why they held hands when watching movies together, why Josh had practically moved in after about a year. But it didn't bother either of them, so they did as they pleased and never wondered what their _thing_ should be called.

Tyler had been mindlessly strumming chords on his ukulele in the dark, trying to bore himself to sleep when Josh called. He set the instrument down and picked up the phone. 

"Hey," Josh said. He sounded groggy. Two A.M. was never kind to anyone.

"Hey Josh. Can't sleep?" he asked.

"Nah."

Tyler already knew what Josh was going to ask. "You can come over," he said.

"Thanks a bunch. Sorry for waking you up."

"You didn't wake me. And really, it's fine. I like it when you sleep over."

"Y'know, it's not really a sleepover if I'm one box away from living with you."

"Eh, you haven't come over for a week. That's a pretty long time. You know I'm clingy."

Josh laughed, and the sleepy warm feeling he always got hearing it lit up his heart a bit. He grinned, glad to hear him happy. "Get over here, dummy." 

The smile was apparent in his voice.

Josh arrived a few minutes later, not needing to knock since they'd exchanged keys a long time ago. He was in his pajamas, gym shorts and an oversized egg-printed hoodie (ironic birthday gift). The sweater paws it gave him somehow managed to match his strong arms.

"Hi Josh," Tyler drawled, looking up at him from his bed.

"Morning, Ty," Josh said.

"So what's keeping you up?"

Josh focused past Tyler out onto the balcony, staring at the moon. "There's a lot, really. Just a bunch of small things."

"I've got the time," Tyler said.

"Can we sit outside?"

"Sure."

The late summer air was warm and dry, the fat full moon hanging orange in the night sky. There weren't too many stars out, sadly. They sat down next to each other, sitting criss-cross and watching the moon slowly rise.

"Well?" Tyler asked.

Josh sighed, looking down. "I've just been really worried lately. About living. And what I'm supposed to do with it."

Tyler looked at him. "What _are_  you supposed to do with it?"

"Everyone our age is getting married and having kids. I mean, I like kids and I hope that I'll be a good father if I ever have them, but honestly? The whole 'settling down' thing doesn't seem that appealing. I don't think it ever did. And I'm afraid that I'll regret that later, or that there's something wrong with me."

Tyler absorbed his words, thinking carefully. "I feel the same way, really," he said slowly, carefully. "At least you're not alone."

"I mean, I'll never regret the music. But maybe that's what's making us like this. I'm just scared that I'm being selfish."

He draws his knees up and wraps his arms around them, resting his head sideways to face Tyler.

"Having kids isn't the most important thing in the world. No one  _has_ to do anything. You're not less of a person."

"I mean, I know it's okay if I stay single, but I can't help but feel this pressure from my family to get married. I'm the oldest but I'm the only one who isn't married or at least engaged," Josh said, mouth downturned.

"I'm the oldest too, Josh. Don't worry about it, okay?"

"But that's just the beginning! Even, like,  _dating_ and  _sex_ is just really unappealing. I told you about what happened with Becca, right?"

"Yeah, you did."

"I feel scared that I'm not human for not  _loving_ people like that. 'Cause dating, and at least sex is something that everyone wants, right?"

Tyler sits up a bit straighter, squinting in confusion. "I'm not so sure, really. And is it weird to say that I don't want that stuff either?"

"It's only weird if it's just one person."

"Bam! You're not weird now."

Josh finally smiles again, dropping his legs and smoothing the hair from his eyes. He turns to look at the moon, now higher and paler, serene and sleepy, and Tyler feels the glow in his chest brighten like a sunrise as he watches him blink. It's so strong it's painful, and he's got to say something before his ribs crack open.

"Josh?" he said, voice barely a whisper.

"Hmm?"

He turned towards Tyler, eyes wide and curious, and Tyler almost stopped breathing. 

"Can I, uh, I really wanna kiss you right now. No romo, though."

Josh giggles, tongue poking out between his pearly teeth. "No romo?"

"Nope."

"Then I'm fine with it."

They leaned closer together, Josh's face becoming alarmingly detailed and even more beautiful. He stopped moving for a moment, just to admire the little freckles on his nose. Josh bridged the gap and their lips touch, noses bumping, soft and gentle and innocent.

Josh didn't taste like smoke or lavender or whatever, he just tasted like himself and a bit like his favorite cinnamon toothpaste that's too spicy for Tyler to use. His lips were soft, warm and parted and Tyler runs a hand down Josh's cheek before tucking it beneath his chin, pulling him a little closer. There were no fireworks, no heat deep in his stomach, but it's perfect in a quiet way, the way a mountaintop is. 

They stayed like that for a few moments, eyes shut gently as if they were asleep before they pull away to breathe. Josh held the back of Tyler's head to keep him from pulling away, and he presses their foreheads together, eyes still closed as they breathed together.  

"Why do you care so much?" Josh whispered into his mouth.  

"I just want you to be happy," Tyler said, swallowing his words.

Josh opens his eyes. "I'm happy around you."

"Then I'm never leaving you," Tyler said, wrapping his arms around him. Their mouths separated and they tuck their faces into the crooks of each other's necks. "Sleep with me?" he asked. "No romo."

"Of course."

**Author's Note:**

> *asexual characters are boring!*  
> *bitch, where??*  
> *under all that lack of sex!*  
> *removes sex from fic* i said, bitch, WHERE??????*


End file.
